ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — On the first day of Khalil Walls’ trial, prosecutors told the jury he “fired shots that turned a fistfight into a homicide” — and killed Christopher Butler back in January 2021.
It was a shooting at Club Erotica, following a drunken, violent fight in which two men were killed and three others were hurt by the gunfire.
Walls is only charged in the death of Butler. Charles Becher already has a trial for the death of the other victim, Seth McDermitt.
A jury found Becher guilty, but in a highly unusual decision, Judge Mariani vacated his sentence and said Becher should get a new trial.
Surveillance video was shown through much of that trial.
As for Wallis, prosecutors painted a picture that he escalated the physical fight that happened outside of the club, fired a deadly shot, then denied being involved to police.
But his defense attorney told the jury he was acting in self-defense after Butler “charged” at him.
Wallis’ trial is expected to last an entire week.
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